Abolitionist James Marshall DeGarmo (1838-1919) was a birthright Hicksite Quaker in Dutchess County, NY. A pioneer in secondary education, he received an honorary Master of Arts from Princeton and a Doctorate of Philosophy for his success as an educator at the DeGarmo Institute in Rhinebeck and Fishkill-on Hudson (now Beacon). He was trained as a linguist and studied French, German, Latin and Greek, and he soon demonstrated his passion for the natural sciences.
An engaging and enthusiastic public speaker, he was sought after to speak at Anti-Slavery and Women’s Equality conventions. For over forty years, he was an active public speaker on topics ranging from glaciers to character building and Quakers to “What I Do Not Know”.
DeGarmo’s early Letters to the Editor of the anti-slavery newspaper “The Liberator” were thought-provoking and his book “The History of the Hicksite Quakers and their Doctrines” added to his legacy.
“So goes the good work on…”
Read my Flipbook about James Marshall DeGarmo.
View my recorded live presentation on James Marshall DeGarmo.
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library. “Bit of Isleboro; Old Hemlocks [prints depicting coastal landscapes with houses, sailboats, and trees].” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1865 – 1899. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-c4a3-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
Palatine immigrant Christian Otto Schultz’s son Christian Schultz, Jr.’s adventures become more exciting in Letter #2 of Travels on an Inland Voyage Through the States of New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee and through the Territories of Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Orleans; Performed in the Years 1807-1808; Including a Tour of Nearly Six Thousand Miles.
Schultz describes his travels in New York state from Utica, to Rome, Wood Creek, Fish Creek, Oneida Lake, to the outlet of the Onondaga River on which he learns by observing Native Americans (Oneida), discovers some superb fishing and acquires a new taste for eel.
Merry Christmas 2020! After receiving a beautiful Christmas card depicting the ruins of Shookville Church, I took a December drive on Shookville Road. Don’t miss Ossie Stippa’s 1989 Christmas sketch. Read more about Shookville at keepingnyhistoryalive.com and milannyhistory.org
Keeping NY History Alive and narrator Bonnie Wood join Christian Schultz, Jr. as he travels on the Hudson River and then the Mohawk in 1807. He provides details of the boats, the cities and more as he explores New York State along these iconic rivers. This is the first of 17 letters in the first volume. From gone to sea to gone to the river, the perpetual call to the water passes from father Palatine immigrant Christian Otto Schultz to son Rhinebeck, NY native Christian Schultz, Jr. Esq. who is the writer and the cartographer for Travels on an Inland Voyage Through the States of New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee and through the Territories of Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Orleans; Performed in the Years 1807-1808; Including a Tour of Nearly Six Thousand Miles.
Auntie (Esther Coon Rider 1905-1993) was a natural cook known for her generosity of spirit and her love of cooking- frequently with ingredients grown in the kitchen garden. She thrived on providing pleasure and sustenance through her soul food- that heart and stomach warming fare needed after a day on the farm or a walk in the fresh country air. I treasure the time I spent in her kitchen and her recipes – those she created, those she collected and those she acquired from previous generations.
What I did not realize until this extended time of contemplating and organizing (Covid-19) was that her collection of recipes included those from several doctors. For many centuries, the kitchen garden was functional; the plants and herbs grown had specific purposes whether nutritional, medicinal, and/or ornamental. From Chaucer’s knowledge of medicinal remedies in “The Canterbury Tales” (1392) to Shakespeare’s Friar Laurence describing the healing powers of plants and herbs in “Romeo and Juliet” (1594) to the journals and notations of Auntie and her ancestors, cure for ailments was as close as the kitchen garden to be administered by a monk, the cook, the country doctor, or perhaps the local medicine man or woman (to be shared and developed in another post).
Mustard Plaster (Dr. Cookingham)
1 teaspoonful of dry mustard
1 teaspoonful of flour
Stir to a medium paste with vinegar.
Spread between two pieces of muslin cloth and warm before it is applied.
If a larger one is needed take larger equal portions of mustard and flour.
White of egg prevents blistering.
In his article “Recollections of Red Hook: The Country Doctor”, Burton Coon (1869-1942) recalls “The first doctor I remember was Dr. Cookingham to whom I was taken for treatment when about five years old. He was then unmarried, and boarding with the widow Benedict, and I believe had his office there” (Memories of Old Red Hook From the Burton Coon Collection).
Cool Drinks for Fever (Dr. Morrison)
Cool Drinks for Fever
Juice of 2 oranges and 1 lemon and 1 quart of water
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons of sugar
Tomato Cocktail
Large can of tomatoes with 1 cup of water
Put through colander.
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon of horseradish
1 teaspoon of worcestershire sauce
Pepper and salt
1 quart of water
Juice of 2 lemons
1 small teaspoon cream of tartar
Use as you would water.
View the two page obituary of this renowned physician, owner of a farm in Jackson Corners.
Included in Burton Coon’s scrapbook in Report of the Botanist.Included in Burton Coon’s scrapbook in Report of the Botanist.
In Recognition of the Country Doctor
At any time in history, recognition of those in the medical profession is appropriate. Today as we experience Covid-19 history in the making, it is apropos to include Burton Coon’s recognition of physicians in his newspaper article “Recollections of Red Hook: The Country Doctor” written in the early 20th century. Coon concludes with these words, “The country doctor is fast passing out of our civilization. Time was when no storms were too heavy, no snow banks too high, no roads too bad to travel when he heard the call; and like old Dr. MacClure of Drumtochty, he rode or waded as the case required. If the case was a serious one he would stay on the job, watching the progress of the disease, while the lamp of life burned low and the watchers stood about with anxious faces. And there are other risks besides the weather and the roads. The doctor always stands a chance of contracting certain diseases himself. One doctor died of erysipelas which he got while treating a patient with the same disease. When there is an epidemic the doctor is exposed to its contagion more than anyone else. Yet no one thinks of the doctor except to get his help. All honor to the worthy sons [and daughters (2020 update)] of this profession who literally take their lives in their hands to minister to their fellow human beings” (Memories of Old Red Hook From the Burton Coon Collection).
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